


Bad Blood AU

by Yoshiaki



Series: Their kinda love is ageless [6]
Category: Barduil - Fandom, The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: M/M, Mentions of Bilbo & Thorin, Recovering Thranduil, Taylor Swift song reference, Uncertain Bard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-09
Packaged: 2021-02-25 05:14:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21730639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yoshiaki/pseuds/Yoshiaki
Summary: After the Thorin scandal, Bard stays behind to comfort Thranduil. But things aren’t easy for him because Thranduil is despondent even towards him, and Thorin is really annoying right now. Can Bard do anything about this?
Relationships: Bard the Bowman/Thranduil
Series: Their kinda love is ageless [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1526645
Comments: 2
Kudos: 30





	Bad Blood AU

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nerwen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nerwen/gifts).



> Apologies for any grammatical errors.

Since the Thorin scandal, Thranduil has been nothing but despondent.

He withdrew from the public eye completely and ignored calls from everyone in his life, including Bard. Bard who had remained in his home on the other side of the door, refusing to leave as Thranduil refused to open the door to let him in.

Until Bard kicked the door down and yelled at him to eat even if it was one _goddamn_ bite.

Thranduil had never been so startled by his behaviour, finishing the sandwich and asking for a second helping which Bard gladly made for him. But even after that he refused to speak to Bard, and Bard didn’t mind that at all, grabbing a book to read out loud as Thranduil fell asleep. Days went by slowly as they fell into a routine, Bard handling everything including their managers and the media. He refused to comment on the Thorin scandal but he shut down rumours of Thranduil’s supposed suicide, assuring the platinum-blonde’s fans that he was okay and dealing with everything at his own pace. He even turned down potential projects and went out shopping for a change of clothes, refusing to go back to his apartment in London.

Thranduil needed him here and even though he didn’t show it, he just needed him. So he stayed and Thranduil was bitter about it. “Why are you still here?” he would sometimes ask in passing. “Why don’t you just fuck off to London?” he said another time. “Because I want to be here,” Bard would answer, “I need to be here until everything is okay with you.”

Thranduil would look at him, shocked, before schooling his features and saying, “Well aren’t you stupid then.” Before walking off. Bard never took that to heart. He understood that Thranduil was hurting and needed to vent, so he took whatever the platinum-blonde threw at him, literally and figuratively. He was not about to give up now or anytime soon, not when Thranduil meant everything to him even in this broken state. And so the weeks went by with their strange routine, Thranduil throwing insults and Bard soaking it all in like a sponge. But on one particular day it had become too much for him.

“Look at you, trying to be noble because it’s all your fault. You brought Bilbo into the damn picture! It’s your fau—”

“THAT’S ENOUGH!” Bard snapped, rising from his seat and tossing the book on the nightstand. “That’s enough Thranduil. I know it’s my fault, I know. But I’m not here because I feel guilt. I’m here because I’m your friend and I’m all you got to put up with no matter how angry you are about it. I’m here because I freaking damn care about you more than anyone ever could. So stop fucking accusing me just because it makes you feel better!” He took a few deep breaths and paced about the room, internally fighting to keep his emotions in check.

The last thing he needed was to break down confessing his undying love.

He managed to calm down after a while and when he looked over at Thranduil across the room, and said, “I know this is my fault but I didn’t force Thorin and Bilbo to commit adultery. I did not force their feelings towards each other. But either way, I apologise, because I really am sorry for hurting you in any form. I’m sorry, Thranduil. I’m sorry I raised my voice at you. I’m so sorry.” He muttered, feeling the full brunt of everything; catching Thorin with Bilbo, seeing Thranduil break down, facing the media, being labelled a 'marriage reaper' and taking insults from Thranduil. It was all painful, he was at his limit.

Thranduil was still looking at him in shock, mouth slightly agape and simply frozen in place. Never had he seen Bard like this, never has Bard raised his voice at him, never ever. “Ba—” he cut himself off as he looked down, unsure what to say.

“I’m sorry, Thran…” Bard whispered and the way he said Thranduil’s name had the platinum-blonde closing the distance between them, yanking Bard in for a kiss. It wasn’t planned nor was it perfect but it awoke something dangerous between them, that Bard cut short when he pushed Thranduil off of him, moving back.

“Fuck, what the fuck Thran?!” he cried out in surprise and anger. “What do you think you’re doing? I’m not some fucking toy to have when you like. Fuck, Thran, that’s not at all what I meant!”

Thranduil frowned in confusion as the actor backed off even more. “But… I thought yo—”

“Yeah, I love you. Damn I do. But this isn’t how it’s supposed to be, no, I refuse to be a rebound. I refuse to be another regret in your life. Don’t fucking mess with my head, Thran. Just fucking stop messing with my feelings!” He snapped at the last part, before all the anger dimmed down and he softly added, “Don’t play with me, Thran.” Before walking out of the room.

Bard never came back to Thranduil’s room that evening.

He made him something to eat and left it outside the bedroom door, still annoyed by what the platinum-blonde did. How could he think about sex at such a distraught time? When he should be healing and finding his way back into the world?

How could he do that? Try to move on without taking the time to look in the mirror and address the reality around him? His emotions were all over the place and it was affecting Bard deeply, opening up healing wounds in Bard’s heart, wounds he’s carried for years since knowing Thranduil, watching him with Thorin while he suffered in silence and wished that he was the one instead of Thorin. Wishing, yet refusing to act because he had so much respect for them no matter how sore he was about it.

He never wished anything cruel on them, never wished that they broke up, never wished that Thorin would be tempted away, no, he never wanted anything bad to happen between them. Because seeing Thranduil smile whenever Thorin did something for him was enough for Bard, but now things were different and he hated himself for introducing Bilbo to Thorin.

This was all his fault.

All of this bad blood, was all his fault.

So he decided to leave for London. Maybe being back at home would clear the air up for both Thranduil and himself. Maybe the distance is exactly what they need to move on from this and perhaps their friendship could be saved one day. Perhaps Thranduil will heal and they would go back to hanging out and having a laugh over a couple of beers.

He decided to leave for London the next day, too tired today to do much, while Thranduil remained in his room, to think about what had occurred earlier.

For Thranduil had not forgotten about Bard’s feelings in all of this. He had not forgotten that he too felt something between them even though it was clouded by the Thorin saga. At first, he thought it was just fascination, because everyone was fascinated by him or some reason. But upon further exploration (and Bard’s behaviour during their last set, as well as his latest confession), he confirmed that there were deeper feelings in there.

Right now though, he didn’t know what to do. He had tried kissing the actor, but was rejected so painfully, it was like finding out about Thorin’s betrayal again. And where the hell was Thorin? Probably parading the streets with Bilbo. Damn fucking Bilbo! He shuddered at the thought, curling in on himself and closing his eyes.

When the morning came around, Bard booked a flight out to London on his tablet. He planned to tell Thranduil about it in a little while as he made him breakfast, but there was suddenly a knock at the door that startled him.

“Hold on,” he said, quickly wiping his hands and turning off the stove before making his way over to the front door. He unlocked it and swung it open, freezing dead in motion when he gazed upon the last person he wanted to see on earth.

Thorin Oakenshield.

And in his hand was a sort of ‘get well soon’ gift basket topped with a bottle of wine and a card.

The nerve.

“Hello, Thorin. This isn’t any of my business but, you are not welcome here. Thranduil is still upset.” Bard bit out, trying his best to hone in his emotions even though he wanted to smash the actor’s face in.

“Bard? What are you doing here?” Thorin cocked his head to the side, waiting to be invited into the mansion he had once lived in.

“Thranduil needs a friend right now, so…” he trailed off, knowing Thorin will figure it out. When Thorin still didn’t get it, he frowned as he folded his arms across his chest, careful to avoid splitting the two stitches between his shoulder and chest—an injury Thranduil had inflicted by mistake when he found out about Thorin and Bilbo.

Thorin sighed and said, “I’m so sorry, Bard,” his voice sincere. “I know ye’ mad at me on behalf of Thranduil, lad, believe me I know, and I’m sorry I hurt him. I should have told him about Bilbo, should have at least left without causing such a scandal that brought out a horrible side of him. I really am sorry.”

Each word made Bard’s jaw tick impatiently, and he clenched his fists under his arms, willing himself to calm down, because at the end of the day, this was Thorin and Thranduil’s relationship and burning bridges on Thranduil’s behalf when there’s a chance that they might reunite, would be embarrassing for Bard.

“That’s enough, Thorin. I accept your apology, but I cannot speak for Thranduil,” he muttered, asking, “You were the light of his life, did you know?”

Thorin quietly shook his head and looked down in shame. “‘ _Thorin Oakenshield is the best thing that’s happened to me_ ,’ Thranduil would tell me whenever we had lunch or did a movie together. ‘ _Thorin’s going to flip when he sees us kissing in this movie_ ,’ he told me just before we wrapped up that project.” He pointed at Thorin and moved forward, pushing him back with the mere force of his contained anger.

“You were all he spoke about. You understood him more than his previous boyfriends who left him for supposedly ‘better’ people!” he snapped the last part as he grabbed Thorin by the collar, saving him from falling into the fountain on the driveway.

“He _loved_ you enough to see a future with you and that is all he could ever offer because you had everything.”

He extended his arm out a little so Thorin was leaning closer to the fountain, and said, “If I was as half as lucky as you were, I would treat him like a god!” He swung the shorter man away from the fountain, steadying him. “But I’m not… lucky that is.” He murmured and he disappeared into the house, leaving Thorin to ponder on what he had said.

There was bad blood in the entire situation; Thranduil messing with Bard, Thorin messing with Thranduil and Bard stuck in the middle of it all, angry at the both of them yet at the same time, this wasn’t about him.

Whatever shall he do?

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! You are appreciated! - Yoshiaki


End file.
